“Should kindergarten include books about being transgender?” asks an LA Times column this week. For me, the answer is simple: To say that any child is too young to learn about LGBTQ people is essentially the same as saying that LGBTQ people shouldn’t be parents. At the same time, teachers may need some help in presenting LGBTQ topics accurately and with sensitivity. Let’s review some resources that can help.
It’s not news that Dungeons & Dragons, the venerable role-playing game, has taken a queer-friendly turn in recent years. (I wrote about it myself in 2014.) But did you know that a recent D&D adventure includes a two-dad family?
Can the gap between hater and hated ever be bridged? Writer, performer, and video maker Dylan Marron asks that question in a new podcast in which he converses with those who have sent him hate mail. It offers us all some useful lessons.
The recent events in Charlottesville—and the ongoing struggle our country has with racism and other forms of oppression—underscore the importance of raising children who are accepting and inclusive of all, and have the strength to stand against the actions of those who are not. Here are a few reading ideas.
As an LGBTQ parent, I sometimes feel like I’ve had to make things up as I go along. But Pride and Joy: A Guide for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans Parents, gives queer parents and parents-to-be a handy way to tap into the collective wisdom of many who have gone before. The new book, by Sarah and Rachel Hagger-Holt, offers stories, advice, and insight not only on starting a family, but also on navigating the years to follow.
The award-winning Disney Junior show Doc McStuffins has just featured its first two-mom family, with the moms voiced by Actual LesbiansTM Wanda Sykes and Portia de Rossi (the former a mom herself). And the moms are named after one of the most famous lesbian couples ever!
A new animated short about two boys falling in love is going viral—but it’s not the only new cartoon about LGBTQ characters.
Take a look.
I wrote this for my Mombian newspaper column at the end of June; I’m reposting it here in honor of Harry Potter and J. K. Rowling’s birthdays today.
June 26 is an auspicious date. Not only did the U.S. Supreme Court issue its marriage equality decision on that day in 2015, but 20 years ago, on June 26, 1997, the world first learned of a boy named Harry Potter and his friends Ron and Hermione. I’ve read J. K. Rowling’s series three times to myself and once out loud to my son (who then re-read it on his own a few years later), and wanted to mark the combined anniversary with a few lessons from Harry Potter for LGBTQ families.
Families Like Yours, a new documentary “exploring the love, compassion, sacrifice, and success of LGBT families in America,” premiered in New York City yesterday, and will soon make its way to LGBT film festivals and conferences around the world. Watch a trailer.
Back in ancient times, between Seasons 2 and 3 of The L Word, I began this blog, and for some time tracked the parenting storylines in the series. Now, with news of a reboot, I have some thoughts and questions.
